Illinois’ early signing period did not include Peoria quarterback Coran Taylor.

He was the first Class of 2018 commitment for coach Lovie Smith, but reportedly because of academic issues, he had to wait to sign. But on Wednesday morning, the start to another period when recruits can sign their national letters of intent, Taylor was the first player Illinois announced.

Taylor, a three-star recruit, is a dangerous runner who led Peoria to the Class 5A state title in 2016. As a senior he rushed for 1,048 yards and 14 touchdowns and averaged 9.7 yards per carry. He also completed 53 percent of his passes for 1,546 yards and 18 touchdowns with six interceptions.

Quarterback Matt Robinson of San Juan Capistrano, Calif., who recently committed, also signed Wednesday. The 6-foot-1 dual threat did not have other Power Five offers.

Taylor and Robinson will join MJ Rivers of Frisco, Texas, who signed during the early period in December along with 17 other recruits.

Illinois has only one returning scholarship quarterback, rising sophomore Cam Thomas, who will be operating under a new offensive coordinator in Rod Smith. Lovie Smith hired Rod Smith on Jan. 19 to replace Garrick McGee, whom Lovie Smith fired after two seasons.

Taylor told Illini Inquirer on Wednesday: “I like Rod Smith better than Garrick McGee. The hour that we had, we worked on more stuff than I ever had with McGee. We went over a lot of stuff. With McGee, we never went over anything. (Smith) stays in touch with me. McGee barely texted me.”

Illinois also signed three-star defensive end Ezekiel Holmes of Wichita Falls, Texas; three-star running back Kenyon Sims of San Diego; and two-star linebacker Jacob Hollins of Fresno, Calif. Holmes and Sims committed Sunday.

Sims also had Power Five scholarship offers from Arizona, Oregon State, Utah and Washington State.

Three-star Danville kicker Caleb Griffin is expected to sign and blueshirt, meaning he will be on scholarship in the fall but will be part of the 2019 recruiting class.

Illini class at a glance

Strengths: In addition to restocking the quarterback room with a trio of dual threats — MJ Rivers, Coran Taylor and Matt Robinson — Illinois continued to focus on bulking up its lines. Calvin Avery and Verdis Brown give defensive coordinator Hardy Nickerson a pair of four-star, Under Armour All-America interior linemen, while Reuben Unije, Jordyn Slaughter, Kievan Myers and Julian Pearl bolster an offensive line that started three freshmen and a redshirt freshman last year.

Holes: After getting big contributions last fall from WR Ricky Smalling, TE Louis Dorsey and RBs Mike Epstein and Ra’Von Bonner, the Illini didn’t add any “wow-factor” skill-position players on offense. RB Kenyon Sims was a priority recruit for new offensive coordinator Rod Smith, who had recruited Sims at Arizona, but RB Jakari Norwood and WRs Carlos Sandy and Edwin Carter — all from Florida — had only one other Power Five offer among them.

Class notes: With the exception of Brown, who played at Mount Carmel before transferring in his junior year to IMG Academy in Bradenton, Fla., the Illini signed no Chicago-area players. ... It’s clear Lovie Smith’s staff is focusing on areas where talent abounds: Illinois signed 11 players who went to high school in Florida, five from Texas and four from California.